Cheap Backyard Fence Styles

Rustic wooden fences are cheap and attractive.

Fences provide privacy, help keep pets contained, and create visual interest in your yard. However, purchasing fencing from a home improvement store easily can be an expensive proposition. If you need a cheap backyard fence, it is best to construct your own. There are several fence styles that are attractive, functional, and made from readily available materials, so your main job will be to choose the type of fencing that best suits your personal needs.

Wattle Work Fence

The long, skinny branches growing from tree stumps or in ditches can be transformed into a charming fence with a little imagination. Also known as water spouts, stump twigs, or suckers, they can be used to create a wattle work fence. Wattle work dates back to the Bronze Age and involves using using flexible green sapling wood to create a woven tapestry between upright posts. Willow or hazel wood is best for this project because it is the most flexible.

Rustic Wooden Fence

If you have access to reclaimed wood from a house, barn, garage, or business that has been torn down, you can make a backyard fence with a rustic look. Depending upon your needs, place the boards next to each other for total privacy, or leave some gaps to secure the perimeter without obstructing the view of your yard.

Stone Fence

A gently curving stone wall creates a barrier in your backyard while adding visual interest to the space. Stones can be dry stacked or held together with mortar. For safety reasons, however, a dry stacked wall should not be more than four feet tall or used in an area where it will provide seating or hold back dirt. Fieldstone is good choice for creating a stone wall, since many farmers are eager to get rid of the fieldstone on their land because it interferes with growing crops.

Recycled Glass Bottle Fence

If DIY projects using recycled materials appeal to you, a bottle fence can provide an affordable and unique accent for your backyard. Bottles can be stacked together to form a fence of the desired height. Use bottles of all one color or combine blue, green, brown, and clear bottles for a more eclectic look. Also add paint to the mortar joints for a decorative touch or combine bottles with steel posts to make a fence that is more sculptural in nature.